Apparatus for coiling and cutting a continuously moving web



Jan. 30, 1951 l2,539,745

F. .1. KELLER APPARATUSFOR COILING AND CUTTING A CONTINUOUSLY MOVING WEBFiled July 17, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet l l F1952 72 @E l i i 'lll Jan. 30,1951 F. J. KELLER APPARATUS FOR coILING AND CUTTING A coNTINUoUsLYMOVING WEB 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 17, 1947 INVENTOR Fran/lfd. /1 e//er Jan. 30, 1951 F. `J. KELLER 2,539,745

APPARATUS FOR coILTNG AND CUTTING A coNTTNUoUsLT MOVING WEB Filed July17, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Fra/7k d. Ke //e/.1

Jan. 30, 1951 F. J. KELLER 2,539,745

APPARATUS FOR COILING AND CUTTING A CUNTINUOUSLY MOVING WEB Y Filed July17, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Jan. 30, 1951 F. J. KELLER 2,539,745

' APPARATUS F COILING AND TING A CONTI USLY MOVING 'I Filed July 17,1947 5 sheets-sheet 5 Patented Jan. 30, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEAPPARATUS FOR COILING AND CUTTING A CONTINUOUSLY MOVING WEB Frank J.Keller, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Wean Equipment Corporation,Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 17, 1947, SerialNo. 761,508

13 Claims. (Cl. 242-80) terial can be turned out at speeds as high as180' per minute. This material is usually sold in coils or rollscontaining 150'. Apparatus for coiling the material has not beencorrespondingly improved so as to enable it to keep pacewith the.

twisting separate strands.

Figure 1 is a, side elevation with parts omitted showing the ceilingapparatus and a runout conveyor adjacent thereto 'for disposing of coilsas formed;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the coiling apparatus alone;

Figure 3 is a partial section taken plane of line' III- III of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a central vertical section the coller; y

Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the automatic valong the controlsystem; and

for the present.; u invention comprises production now obtainable on thefabric-making machines. If it is attempted to dispose of the material bywinding it on a mandrel, then cutting off the proper length, removingthe coil andstarting the material on an empty mandrel, the time requiredfor these operations is so greatthat it is necessary to stop the machineIfor each coil with consequent loss of production and increaseA in cost.I have invented a method and apparatus for forming a tight coil ofnetting without the use of a mandrel, shearing the material, starting anew coil in a region spaced from the first coil, and discharging the'rstcoil while the suc ceeding coil is being formed. This makes possible thecontinuous coiling of the output of a poultry-netting machine withoutshutdowns for removing a coil and starting a new one.

In a preferred embodiment and practice of my invention, I provide twosets of bending rolls and coil-supporting rollers mounted in spacedcoiling regions. I also provide a double-acting shear cooperating with adeflector to divert the leading end of the web issuing from the machinealternately toward one and then the other of the sets of bending rolls.The bending rolls serve to make the web self-coilingas it is fed to thesupporting rollers. I also provide coil-holding means and coilythrow-out means for removing the coils from the supporting rollers whencompleted, as well as an automatic control system for actuating theshear, coil-holding and throwout means when a predetermined length ofmaterial has been coiled.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from thefollowing detailed description and explanation which refer to theaccompanying drawings illustrating the present Tueferred embodiment. Inthe drawings:

Figure 6 is a sideelevation showing-the side of the machineopposite thatshownin yFigure 2.

Referring? now-in-'Adetail tothe drawings. and, ure 1, the apparatusofmy air of spaced side plates Ill supported on afsuitable base I I andconnected adjacent their upper-ends by tie rods I2. The side plates haveupp'erand lower coiling tables I3 and; I4 pivoted thereon. A continuousweb of poultry netting I5 is fed into one side of the machine betweenentry guide rolls I6 from any .suitable'vtype of machine for making thismaterial. The entering web then passes between a pair of driven pinchrolls I1 and through a shear I8. Depending on the position of the shear,it engages one side or the other of a deflector I9 from which it isguided toward one of the tables I3 and I4. Further details of theseparts of the machine will loe-described later by reference to Figures 2through 4. Coils formed on the tables I3 and I4 are loosely held thereonby retaining members 20 and 2I and when completed, are ejected bythrow-out members 22 and 23 which normally lie below the level of thetables. Coils delivered from the upper table I3 slide down skids 24 andare guided onto a conveyor 25 by curved arms 26. Coils formed on thelower table are delivered directly to the conveyor by skids 2l. Theconveyor consists of an endless belt traversing vspaced pulleys andsupporting rollers, the belt being driven by one of the pulleys, andserves to move the coils of netting longitudinally for storage orshipment.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 4, the entering guide rolls I6are journaled in brackets 28 secured to the edges of the side plates.The web entering between these guide rolls next passes between guides 29mounted on the inner faces of the side plates I0 by cross rods 3Uextending therebetween. The pinch rolls I1 feed the web through theshear and bending rolls to be described later. The upper pinch roll isjournaled in bearings fixed in the side plates I0. The lower pinch rollis journaled in floating bearings mounted on levers 3| pivoted to theside plates at 32. Bearings 33 have adjusting screws 34 engaging thelevers 3| to control the pressure exerted by the pinch rolls on the web.The shear I8 comprises a gate member or head 35 extending between theside plates I0 and having a, longitudinal slot 35a therethrough adaptedto admit the web l5. The gate is slidable vertically in guides 36. Ahydraulic cylinder 31 has its piston rod connected to the gate foractuating it upwardly and downwardly. The gate has cutting blades 3Bsecured thereto adjacent the upper and lower edges of the slottherethrough. These blades cooperate with a xed blade 39 mounted in thedeflector I9. #The sides of the deilector adjacent the blade 39 slopeupwardly and downwardly to change the course of the web after a shearingoperation resulting from vertical movement of the gate 35 in eitherdirection. That is to say, if the gate is in its upper position and theweb is being fed to the upper coiling table I3, downward movement of thegate causes severance of the web by the upper blade 38 and the fixedblade 39 and simultaneously shifts the web to the lower face of thedeflector which immediately guides the leading edge of the oncoming webtoward the lower coiling table I4.

Upper and lower idle guide rolls 40 are journaled in the side platesadjacent the sloping faces of the deflector I9. An upper guide chute 4Iconducts the web between secondary pinch rolls .42, one of which isjournaled in xed bearings and the other on pivoted lever arms, in themanner similar to the mounting of the lower pinch roll I1. A guide chute43 conducts the web from the pinch rolls 42 to a cluster of threebending rolls 44. These rolls include a small roll engaging the faces oftwo larger rolls so that the web passing therebetween is bent to acurvature having the radius of the small roll and is thereby madeselfcoiling. After the web passes through the bending rolls, it forms atight, centerless coil on the table I3 which will be described ingreater detail shortly.

When the gate 35 is in its lower position, as

previously described, the web is diverted toward' to a cluster ofbending rolls 5I similar to that shown at 4'4. These rolls also serveprogressively to bend the web to the radius of the small roll, therebycausing it to be self-coiling, whereby a tight, centerless coil is builtup on the lower table I4.

The coiling tables I3 and I4 are substantially identical so only one ofthem will be described in detail. The table I3 comprises driven rollers52 lying in a substantially horizontal plane and idle rollers 53 lyingin a substantially vertical plane. The rollers 52 are journaled in sideplates I0. The rollers 53 are journaled in brackets 54 secured to theedges of the side plates. The coilretaining member 29 cooperates withthe rollers 52 and 53 loosely to conne the coil of netting formed as theweb emerges from the bending rolls 44. The retaining members 2U and 2|are substantially identical and the details of their construction areshown in Figure 3. Each com- The web then tube.

prises a pair of arms 55 connected by a tube 56 which is xed on a shaft51 journaled in the side plates I0. Idle rollers 58 are journaled inbearing bars 59 pivoted on a shaft 60 secured to the outer ends of thearms 55. Coil springs 6I exert a clockwise torque on the bars 59 to holdthe rollers 58 in a predetermined position relative to the arms 55 whichposition is determined by suitable stops (not shown). The pivoted framecomposed of the arms 55, tubes 56 and rollers 58 is counterbalanced by aweight 62 secured to the A crank arm 63 on the shaft 51 permits themember 20 to be swung into and out of coilretaining position by suitableoperating mechanism to be described later.

The ejectors or throw-out members 22 and 23 are substantially identical.Each comprises a frame including side plates 64 connected by crossmembers pivoted on a cross shaft 65. The innermost cross memberdesignated 66 is concave and is adapted to lie below a coil confinedbetween rollers 52, 53 and 58 as it is being formed. When a coil iscompleted, it may be ejected by tilting movement of the throw-outmember. Each shaft 65 is provided with a crank 61 for effecting suchmovement. As the inner end of the ejector rises, the finished coil iscradled on the cross member 65 and, when the ejector has been suicientlytilted, the coil rolls downwardly therefrom onto the skids 24' or 21, asthe case may be.

'I'he bending rolls and the several sets of pinch rolls are driven by amotor 68 and a reducing gear 68a. A sprocket 69 on the reducing geardrives a chain 10 trained around sprockets on the various driven rollsand suitable idler sprockets as shown in Figure 6. The sprockets on thevarious driven members are designated by corresponding referencenumerals with a prime ailxed. The various idler sprockets are designated1I.

Hydraulic cylinders 12 and 13 mounted on one of the side plates IIJoperate the cranks 63 and 61 of the upper and lower coil-retainingmembers 20 and 2| and electors 22 and 23. The cylinder 12 has a pistonadapted to engage a bell crank 14 and cause counterclockwise angularmovement thereof. A link 15 is pivotally connected to the crank 63 ofthe upper retaining member 20 and to one arm of the crank 14. A link 16is pivotally connected to the crank 61 of the upper ejector 22 andanother arm of the crank 14. The cylinder 13 has a piston adapted toengage a bell crank 11 similarly connected by links 15' and 16 to thecranks 63 and 61 of the lower retaining member 2| and ejector 23. Thecranks 14 and 11 are journaled on pivot pins secured to one of the sideplates.

Figure 5 illustrates an automatic control system for the hydrauliccylinders 31, 12 and 13. The cylinder 31 is supplied by a pump 18 andthe cylinders 12 and 13 by a pump 18'. Thes pumps are driven by a motor19 and draw oil from a tank on which the pumps and motor are mounted.The pump 18 delivers oil through a high-pressure line 8| to a 4-wayelectromagnetic valve 82 controlling the cylinder 31. The pump 18'similarly delivers oil through a high-pressure line 8|' to 4wayelectromagnetic valves 83 and 84' for controlling the cylinders 12 and13, respectively. The valves 82, 83 and 84 are of known construction andinclude a reciprocable piston actuated in opposite directions bysolenoids on opposite sides of the valve to connect the ends of ahydraulic cylinder alternately to a pressure source anda return pipe 88connected to the tank 88.

Successive operations of the control system to actuate the shear gate35, one of the coil-retaining members and ejectors are initiated by a2-way switch 85 actuated by a counter 92 driven by the pinch rolls |1.This counter is adapted to cause the moving contact of the switch 85 toshift from one to the other of two lxed contacts, after a predeterminednumber of revolutions of the pinch rolls indicating the passagetherebetween of a predetermined length of web. With the shear gate inthe upper position as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the incoming' web isformed into a coil between the upper rollers 52 and 53. As the coilbuilds up, the retaining member 28 moves clockwise through a smallangle. This causes slight tilting of the ejector 22 but the movement ofthe latter is not sufficient to cause the cross member 66 to engage thecoil. When the desired length of web has been formed into a coil, thecounter operates the switch 85 from the so'idline position to thedotted-line position. Th's completes a circuit from one side of a powersource (designated by a plus sign within a circle) through the switch85, the left-hand solenoid of valve 82 and a limit switch 86 to theother side of the supply circuit (indicated by a minus sign within acircle). The resulting energization of .the valve solenoid causes thevalve piston to move to the left and establish communication between theline 8| and the pipe connection to the upper end of the cylinder 31. The'shear gate is thus actuated downwardly to sever the web and divert thesevered end of the incomng material toward the lower coiling table. Thetrailing end of the coil on the upper table is wound up as the coilcontinues to rotate under the driving torque applied by the rolls 52.

As the shear gate 35 descends, limit switch 86 is opened by a finger 86ao n the gate. This deenergizes the left-hand solenoid of the valve 82.The descent of the gate also closes a switch 81 by engagement therewithof an operating finger 81a on the gate. The switch 81 closes a circuitfrom one side of the suppy line through the switch, and the right-handsolenoid of valve 83 to the other side of the supply line. The piston ofvalve 83 is thereby operated to connect the high-pressure line 8| to thepipe connected to the bottom of the cylinder 12. The piston of cylinder12 is then operated to actuate the bell crank 14. This lifts the upperretaining member 28 and tilts the upper ejector 22 to discharge the coilformed thereon. The switch 81 is of such type as to close the circuitfor the righthand solenoid of valve 83 instantaneously and then reopenit. The operation .of the bell crank 14 closes a switch 88 whichenergizes the lefthand solenoid of valve 83. The piston in cylinder 12is thus forced downwardly and the retaining member 2U and ejector 22 arerestored to their lowermost positions. The return of the crank 14 to itsstarting position opens the switch 88.

When the desired length of the web has been coiled on the lower tableI4, the counter restores the switch 85 to the solid-line positon. Thisenergizes the right-hand solenoid of valve 82, the circuit beingcompleted through a limit switch 89 which is closed when the shear gateis in its lower position. This operates the valve piston to connect thehigh-pressure line 8| to the pipe connected to the bottom of thecylinder 31, thus causing upward movement of the gate 35. The web isthus severed and the leading end of the incoming web is diverted to theupper table. The switch 89 is opened by an actuating nger 88a on thegate, thus deenergizing the solenoid of valve 82.

The upward movement of the gate 35 closes a switch by engagementtherewith of an actuating finger 90a on the gate. This switch energizesthe left-hand solenoid of valve 84 instantaneously and then opens in thesame manner as the switch 81. Energization of the left-hand solenoid ofvalve 84 causes the high-pressure line 8| to be connected to the pipeextending from the valve to the right-hand end of the cylinder 13. Thiscauses the p'ston of said cyinder to advance and actuate the bell crank11 in the counterclockwise direction to raise the retaining member 2|and tilt the lower ejector 23 to discharge the coil formed thereon. Themovement of the crank 11 actuates a switch 9| to energize the right-handsolenoid of valve 84 and cause retraction of the piston in cylinder 13,returning the retaining member 2| and lower ejector 23 to startingposition. Switches 88, 89 and 9| are of the spring-opened type and thusreturn to open position as soon as their actuating means is retracted.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that my inventon is characterizedby numerous important advantages over prior methods and apparatus forcoilin': a web of wire mesh fabric such as poultry netting. In the rstplace, the provision of two coilingT mechanisms in spaced positions,operating alternately, permits the continuous coilng of the web withoutstopping the machine on which it is made, each time a coil is completedand removed. In other words, substantially the full time required toform a coil of proper length, somewhat less than a minute, is availablefor binding the previously formed coil and delivering it to the run-outconveyor. I thus avoid interruptions in the operation of thefabricmaking machine and I am able to take full advantage of the highoperating speed thereof. The progressive bending of the web so that itis self-coiling and tends to form itself into a tight, centerless coilmakes it unnecessary to use mandrels and avoids the time and labornecessary for putting them in place and subsequently removing them fromthe nished coils. The loose connement of the coils as they are formed onthe coiling tables permits them to be quickly discharged when finished.The automatic operation of the coil-retaining members and the tiltingejectors insures that the operations will be conducted in the propersequence and as quickly as possible. In addition, the construction ofthe apparatus is simple, so that it may be easily manufactured andoperated without substantial maintenance.

. Although I have illustrated and described only a preferred embodimentand practice of the invention, it will be recognized that changes in thedetails of construction and procedure may be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. Apparatus for coiling and cutting a continuously moving webcomprising a frame, two sets of bending rolls journaled therein, adefiector for directing the web toward one or the other of said sets,and a pair of shear blades extending along the defiector adjacentthereto and movable across the path of the web to sever it and carry thesevered leading edge of the web from one side of the deector to theother.

2. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 characterized by a pair of feedrolls adjacent said blades for continuously advancing the web toward thedeiiector.

3. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 characterized by a xed shearblade on said deiector cooperating with said movable blades.

4. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 characterized by said sets ofbending rolls being spaced vertically from said deiiector.

5. The apparatus as dened by claim 1 characterized by a reciprocablehead in which said blades are mounted, and means for actuating saidhead.

6. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 characterized by a reciprocablehead in which said blades are mounted, and a hydraulic cylinder forreciprocating said head.

7. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 characterized by a plurality ofrollers adjacent each set of bending rolls for supporting the coil oi'fabric formed by the latter.

8. The vapparatus as defined by claim 7 characterized by retractablecoilrestraining means for holding the coil on said supporting rollers asit is being formed.

9. The apparatus as dened by claim l characterized by coil throw-outmeans mounted adjacent each set of bending rolls.

10- The apparatus as defined by claim 1 char' 30 The followingreferences are oi' record in the acterized by means actuated inaccordance with the length of web coiled for operating said blades.

11. Apparatus for coiling and cutting a continuously moving webcomprising a frame, a set of bending rolls .iournaled therein eiectiveprogressively to form the web into a coil, feed rolls journaled in saidframe for feeding the web into the bending rolls, shear means betweenthe feed rolls and bending rolls for severing the web,

i0 the bending rolls, shear means between the feed rolls and bendingrolls for severing the web. means for actuating said shear means after apredetermined length of web has been coiled, retractablecoil-restraining means for loosely con- '15 mung a con as 11; is beingformed and means actuated by operation of the shear for operating saidcoil-restraining means.

13. In an apparatus for coiling and cutting a continuously moving web,the combination with 20 a pair of vertically spaced centerless coilersof a deflector for directing the web toward said coilers alternately anda vertically reciprocating upcutting and down-cutting shear adjacentsaid defiector, said shear being effective to sever the web 25 and sweepthe leading severed edge from one side of the deilector to the other.

FRANK J. KELLER..

REFERENCES CITED ille oi this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 35 1,474,319 Crosby Nov. 13, 19231,871,665 Dallas Aug. 16, 1932 1,872,018 Street Aug. 16, 1932 2,126,528Beach Aug. 9, 1938 2,200,658 Schefe May 14, 1940 means for actuatingsaid shear means after a 4

